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  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  Submissive on Display

  Copyright 2015 by Tara Quan

  ISBN: 978-1-61333-889-6

  Cover art by Fiona Jayde

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Decadent Publishing Company, LLC

  Look for us online at:

  www.decadentpublishing.com

  Table of Contents

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Fireworks at Midnight by Tara Quan

  Dear Reader,

  Thank you for picking up Submissive on Display. I’ve always been a huge fan of Cherise Sinclair and Kresley Cole. After losing myself for countless hours amidst their sexy Dominants and feisty submissives, I couldn’t resist creating my own adventurous pair. Regardless of genre, I keep my stories lighthearted, the angst to a minimum, and the sex hot enough to make your face warm. In all my romances, I aim for a few laughs, a handful of clever twists, and a scorching happily ever after.

  The Carnivore Club has an open door policy for all fans of BDSM romance. In my contribution to this series, I match architect Luka Petrovich with his dog sitter Naomi Price. When brought together by Madame Eve for a one-night stand, these two exhibitionists discover they share far more than joint adoration for Luka’s German Shepard. With the help of some public spanking and bondage, my jaded Dom attempts to convince his reluctant sub to squeeze him and his pet into her busy schedule.

  Are there any side characters who deserve stories of their own? Is there a particular form of play you think I should research for my next novella? I love hearing from readers, and I often look to you for inspiration. Drop me a line at [email protected], or connect with me on Facebook and Twitter. You can find all my social media haunts at www.taraquan.com.

  Tara Quan

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  Also by Tara Quan

  Delicious Delay

  Operation Owl

  Flirting With Fire

  Frosty Relations

  Fireworks at Midnight

  Submissive on Display

  After a disastrous engagement and ensuing public breakup knocks him off this year’s list of Boston’s most eligible bachelors, Luka Petrovich’s confidence in women is at an all-time low. With a psycho ex-fiancé stalking him at every BDSM club, he embraces a prolonged hiatus from his social life. The last thing he expects is to fall into bed with his dog’s sexy sitter. Craving more after the first taste, he can’t wait to handcuff her to his bed. There’s one problem—she’s not a submissive.

  Veterinary student Naomi Price is too busy juggling part-time jobs and a full course load to have a relationship. Though she’s crushed on her client’s gorgeous owner for close to a year, their accidental night together couldn’t have come at a worse moment. With his sexual preferences fodder for countless tabloid blogs, she knows exactly how to keep this Dominant at an arm’s length. So she tells the biggest lie of her life, turns in her notice, and escapes on a vacation to Las Vegas.

  At the Carnivore Club, two exhibitionists meet for a one-night stand, unaware their compatibility stretches far beyond a simple limit list. When their identities are revealed, a reluctant sub must face public spanking for her deceit, and accept several delectable wrinkles in her best-laid plans.

  Dedication

  To Kate Richards and Anastasia Vitsky, whose tales of crops and wooden spoons lured me back to the wonderful world of BDSM romance.

  Submissive on Display

  A 1Night Stand Story

  By

  Tara Quan

  Chapter One

  Naomi Price squinted at the dog’s pointed ear. It twitched again. A second later, a long pink tongue lolled out. Bear’s thick, heavy tail thumped the manicured grass, the exuberant wag flicking white flecks onto her cargo pants. More suds filled the chilled morning air as his dappled head swung toward the brownstone’s sliding doors.

  At six in the morning, dawning light colored a cloudless sky. Boston, and most of the East Coast, had missed the memo about April being part of spring. Though snow had begun to melt, the temperature remained on the nippy side of comfortable.

  In a blur of muddy black, Bear lifted his fat butt and scampered off. Thank goodness she’d remembered to lock the back entrance. Dogs could charm their way out of most sticky situations, but she didn’t have the furry cuteness advantage. Presenting a house covered in soapy water to a returning homeowner would be in poor form.

  Her arms crossed, she laughed as the giant mutt attempted to barrel through the transparent barrier. Diluted by touches of Labrador Retriever, Bear’s softened German Shepherd features lacked the breed’s trademark ferocity. With a short snout and one floppy ear, he resembled an overgrown puppy. Though the head-butting routine brought his intelligence into question, she couldn’t fault his sense of hearing. The dog could detect his master’s BMW from blocks away.

  Her plan to skedaddle before Luka returned had gone up in smoke. Damn. She could have sworn his flight didn’t land for another hour. Whether or not she’d wanted to say good-bye to Bear, she should never have accepted this final visit.

  Shoving her hands into the pocket of her pants, she pulled out a clicker. “Bear, sit.”

  Whipping around to face her, the dog tilted his giant head to one side. A low whine followed a series of barks. She could envision a thought bubble above his head. You’re shitting me. Sit? Now? But Daddy’s home.

  “He’s not here yet. We have plenty of time to kill, and I’m not done with your bath. Sit.”

  The dog rammed the tempered glass a few more times. But, after a series of failed attempts, he plopped his bottom on the ground and stared at the inaccessible kitchen.

  With some reluctance, she pressed the but
ton to recognize his less-than-stellar performance. “Good boy. Okay, come.”

  Whimpering, he pressed his nose against the door and howled. The needy dog acted as if Luka had abandoned him for weeks, not a single night.

  She cleared her throat. “Bear, I said come.”

  After she repeated the order, her charge deigned to trot back. Upon receipt of the requisite click, he nuzzled her free hand, reminding her of the obligatory reward. At least half of the training had stuck. Rolling her eyes, she pulled out a treat. The small piece of dried meat disappeared, leaving behind a smear of saliva.

  Recognizing her narrowing window of opportunity, she hosed the dog down and managed to wash off most of the suds before he raced back to resume his vigil by the glass. Heaving a sigh, she sauntered after him with a beach towel and blotted away as much water as she could. She managed to wipe his paws before the opening front door sent him into a barking frenzy.

  “Obedience-trained, my ass.” Peering over the bobbing canine head, she glimpsed Luka. Having taken care of Bear for the entirety of his two-year existence, she knew better than to put an Armani suit in danger.

  Muscles rippling, the dog alternated between pawing the back door and staring at her with huge, pleading puppy-dog eyes. She patted his nose. “Sorry, buddy. Those clothes cost more than six-months’ rent—in Allston, not Beacon Hill. I’m not letting you anywhere near the man.”

  After dumping a fresh towel on his torso, she tidied the area and put away the plethora of grooming supplies and toys. Once she’d settled the backyard into its original pristine condition, she returned to the sliding doors.

  Through the transparent divider, she spotted a familiar, bare-chested hunk. Jagged clumps of sandy hair grazed his neck. Beads of water decorated his pale skin. How had the man showered so fast?

  As Luka stared her down, her heart raced, its rhythm seeming to synchronize with the exuberant wag of Bear’s tail. Her throat went dry as her wayward gaze followed the expanse of well-defined pecs to fixate on an array of chiseled abs. A too-recent memory broke through her concentration. She could feel his five o’clock shadow scrape her chin, his coarse chest hair rasping her palms. The corners of his chocolate eyes crinkled when instinct propelled her forward. Her breath fogged the glass. The front of her shoes met the doorframe.

  He gestured at the barking dog with his sharp, high-bridged nose. Her fingers sluggish, she pulled a collar from the pocket of her oversized sweatshirt. After fastening it to Bear’s neck, she grabbed on.

  The moment the latch clicked, the dog jumped up, his sudden lurch knocking her backward. She landed on her butt with a startled yelp.

  His owner’s mahogany eyes narrowed to slits. “Bear, sit.”

  Within a second of his snapped command, the dog’s ass met grass. Mouth wide open and tongue hanging out, he laved the back of his master’s hand with several noisy slurps before lowering his head in a familiar invitation. When Luka rewarded his adoration with a vigorous head scratch, Bear’s dark eyes lolled back.

  “Good job. Lie down, and stay.”

  With a loud woof, the kiss-ass mutt settled on the ground next to her, his unquestioning obedience a far cry from his previous unruly behavior. Joining them on the grass despite the danger of staining his tan trousers, Luka rewarded Bear’s good efforts with a belly rub.

  And even though a huge, squirming creature separated them, he somehow managed to graze his bare toes against the uncovered patch of skin between her pants and Crocs. The fleeting contact sent heat streaking up her leg. “Did he give you any trouble?”

  Drawing her knees to her chest, she shook her head. “Not at all. I’d thought you wouldn’t be back for a while.” She’d triple-checked his itinerary, intending to leave fifteen minutes before his arrival time.

  “I caught an earlier flight.” He toyed with Bear’s collar. “What do you think? Is the obedience training paying off?”

  Shifting sideways, she managed to add an inch to the distance between them. “He certainly knows how to follow orders.” Whether the dog listened to anyone but his owner was a separate issue.

  Luka rewarded her obfuscation with a panty-melting smile. “It’s all about discipline.”

  Forcing out a choked breath, she clambered to her feet. “Well, since you’re back, I should….”

  “Thanks for giving him a bath. He’s spending the next couple of days with my parents.” Ruffling the dog’s damp fur, he stood. “Their chef might throw him more bones if he smells like shampoo.”

  She glanced at the overweight canine. With any luck, Bear would burn off some extra calories by running around the Petrovich estate. A design magazine had featured the gorgeous New England mansion not too long ago, and the expansive grounds qualified as dog heaven. “I’m sorry you had to send him away for the weekend. If I’d received more notice….”

  Luka waved off her apology. “Don’t be silly. It’s spring break, and you deserve a vacation. This vet school of yours is working you to the bone.” As he looked her up and down, faint lines bracketed his mouth.

  “Well, I have less than a year left.” She tugged at the hem of her thick, shapeless top. Where had the self-consciousness come from? Her cup size fell short of a B, and she wore a restrictive sports bra. No way could he see her boobs.

  So why was he staring at her as if he could detect her nipples peaking?

  When he reached for her, she stepped around the dog and shuffled toward the house. “Best to leave Bear outside until you head out. It’s a sunny day, and he’s not dry yet.”

  As soon as she thought about entering the house with Luka, she shivered. The last time they’d spent time alone together in an enclosed space—

  “You’re freezing.” Overtaking her with long-legged strides, Luka opened the door. “Get inside.”

  She’d been heading to that precise destination, but the command halted her next step. He’d infused his low, raspy voice with a Dominant’s authority. She recognized the test and chose defiance.

  Making a beeline for the wet towel by the door, she folded it into a neat bundle before attempting an innocent smile. “Go ahead, I’ll be right there.”

  A shaky lie prevented their sexual tension and occasional lapses in judgment from escalating to something more. But, after the one time they’d gotten hot and heavy, he’d ramped up the barrage of orders. With her self-control at an unprecedented low, fighting the instinct to obey proved a constant challenge.

  His disapproving frown turned her stomach, and the desire to please him threatened to supersede caution. But she dithered until he marched into the house. After following him in, she turned and latched the door.

  Closing in on her from behind, he placed his hands on either side of her head. Caged, she suppressed the impulse to lean back. Though a few inches shy of six feet, she stood a head shorter than him. The breadth of his shoulders dwarfed hers, the musculature of his arms another reminder of the disparity in their physical strengths. Spicy cinnamon aftershave blended with his unique scent, the combination firing up parts of her brain she’d always striven to hold in check.

  They battled on an uneven playing field. His mere presence propelled her into a state of insufferable arousal, and each touch whittled away her defenses until she feared she might divulge her secret. She imagined him overpowering her, pinning her arms behind her back, and shoving her against the glass. He would hold her in an unrelenting grip and yank her waistband down her hips before kicking her legs apart.

  Rough fingertips brushed her nape, the contact crashing reality into her erotic fantasy. Shock prompted her to drop the towel in her hand. He caught her braid in a vise. Pulling her head back, he whispered against her ear, “You disobeyed me on purpose.”

  Faced with the astute accusation, she failed to stem the apology before it escaped her lips. “I…. I’m sorry.”

  His breath scorched her skin. “Kiss me, and I’ll forgive you.”

  She caught her lower lip between her teeth. “No. We can’t do this. Not a
gain.”

  “Why not?” He bit her neck. The stab of pain sent a shiver down her spine. “You want to.”

  Catching the anger underlying his words, she recognized the punishment for what it was. He’d marked her on purpose. Angling her head so she could look into his eyes, she murmured, “Why are you…. What happened?”

  He tightened his hold on her hair. “I got the email about you quitting. A bit wimpy, don’t you think?” His other hand smoothed over her torso to settle on her waist. “You even had it routed through the agency instead of telling me yourself.”

  Shit. She’d given strict instructions for them to forward her notice tomorrow, when she would be on the opposite side of the country, vacationing in Las Vegas. Firming her lips to keep them from trembling, she battled with a sudden surge of guilt and regret.

  She didn’t want to quit. After all, she loved Bear, and the extra money went a long way toward keeping her student loans under control. But the decision was long overdue. Nursing a crush on Luka had been fine when he’d had a fiancée, rendering him off-limits and risk-free. Even after his engagement crashed and burned, the public fallout had kept him too distracted to notice her existence.

  But he’d bounced back these past months, and their physical chemistry seemed on the verge of escalating to a more permanent arrangement. The moment he found out she shared his lifestyle, her hopes of keeping him at an arm’s length would turn to dust.

  Why did she have to snag a drop-dead gorgeous Dom as a client?

  With a nudge on her hip, he spun her around. Fear skittered down her back as he caught her chin and forced her to meet his gaze. “Why won’t you work for me anymore?”